


The Perfect Gift

by Supersteffy



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh the Abridged Series, Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Shopping, LLF Comment Project, Long Live Feedback Comment Project, M/M, Marik is smarter than people think he is, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-31
Updated: 2017-12-31
Packaged: 2019-02-24 15:39:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13216833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Supersteffy/pseuds/Supersteffy
Summary: Marik and Bakura go holiday shopping together. Written for sitabthel's Dirty Santa prompt exchange. My prompt was: "WILL YOU DROP THE MISTLETOE ALREADY?"





	The Perfect Gift

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to Sitabethel for Beta'ing and hosting the Dirty Santa!

“Hey, Bakura! Check this out!”

Marik held up an animatronic Santa Claus with sunglasses and swim trunks on. He pressed the red button between Santa's feet, and the jolly old elf began to gyrate to “All I Want For Christmas Is A Real Good Tan”.

“This would look _great_ in the lair, don't you think?”

“Yes, very nice, Marik,” Bakura droned, eyes glued to his phone.

“You aren't even looking at it!” Marik huffed, jamming the serenading Santa back onto the shelf. “Honestly, Fluffy, if you aren't going to take this seriously, why did you even bother coming along in the first place?”

“Because you practically begged me to,” Bakura grumbled. That, and Bakura didn't trust Marik to shop alone for multiple reasons, one of which was his tendency to be drawn to tacky merchandise.

 _Case and point…_ Bakura thought as Marik made a beeline for a rack of hideous Christmas sweaters. After a bit of rummaging, Marik gasped dramatically. His eyes glowed as he held up the absolute ugliest ugly Christmas sweater ever created--or, more accurately, the ugliest Christmas long sleeve t-shirt.

The monstrosity was printed to look like a button up sweater over a tie, which would have been tacky enough on its own, but they'd gone the extra mile by decorating it with every cliched Christmas icon known to man.

Pictures of gingerbread men and candy canes, Cardinals, bells, and choo-choo trains, holly sprigs and mistletoe, presents, Santa, stockings, snow!

Bakura frowned as he realized his brain had automatically rhymed as it took stock of the litany of holiday symbols. Shaking his head clear, he blamed it on the overplayed Christmas music that had been plaguing them throughout the day.

Bakura heaved a heavy sigh as “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” crackled from the store's sound system for the third time that day, cutting clear through the cacophony of the bustling holiday crowd. Marik hummed along, oblivious as he draped the shirt over his arm and searched through the next rack.

“Hey, why don’t you go check the perfume counter? See if you can find something for Ishizu?”

Bakura snorted. “I’m not running all over the bloody store. Send one of your Steves on your fetch quest.”

“At least the Steves are being useful,” Marik muttered.

Bakura glared over his phone at the back of Marik’s head. “What was that?”

“I said get off your friggin’ phone and shop with me.”

“Sod off. I didn’t want to go shopping in the first place. How much longer are we going to be at this, anyway?”

Marik sighed. “Well, let's see...Who do we still need to buy for?”

Snapping his fingers, Marik summoned a Steve that stood nearby with an armload of previous purchases. Slinging the eyesore article of clothing over the Steve’s face, Marik ticked off their list on his fingers.

“We got that signed Spice Girls poster for Pegasus, the spa facial masks for Luna and Umbris, the Playboy magazines subscriptions for Rex and Weevil…That leaves Rebecca and the evil Teddy bear and Zorc, and we'll have the Council covered...”

“What about Dan Green?”

“What about him?”

“Well, technically he’s still a member of the Council.”

“Yeah, but since he’s stopped showing up to meetings, I figure we’ll just send him a Christmas card.”

“I honestly don't know why you're bothering shopping for any of those other wankers. Just send them all cards and be done with it--or better yet, send them all to the Shadow Realm.”

“Zorc already lives in the Shadow Realm,” Marik pointed out. “By the way, he offered to host the Christmas party, so we’re all going to be visiting the Shadow Realm anyway.”

“Ugh, I miss the bad old days when threatening to banish someone to the Shadows was _actually_ intimidating...”

Ignoring him, Marik continued. “Okay, back to the list. We still need to get something for Ishizu and Odion. And I still haven't gotten--” Marik cut off and glanced up at Bakura, who was still doing his best to ignore everything, absorbed in his game. “Hey, are you getting hungry?”

Bakura glanced up through his blizzard of hair and shrugged. “I could go for a bite.”

“Okay, what do you want to eat?”

Another shrug.

Marik heaved a dramatic sigh. “Why don't you go grab us a table at the food court while I check out? I'll meet you in a bit.”

Bakura snorted. “And leave you unsupervised? Not likely.”

Marik planted his hand on his hip and glared at Bakura. “I'm perfectly capable of shopping on my own, Bakura--besides, I've got my Steves. Now go be a good kitty and grab us a table!”

“Keep your voice down!” Bakura growled. “And don't call me that in public.”

“Then do as I say and save us a table--but don't get any food without me! The lines will probably be long, and I _refuse_ to eat cold food.” With that final order, Marik pulled out his Millennium Rod and turned toward the Steves disguised as piles of merchandise that were loitering nearby. “Steves! To the checkout lanes!”

Bakura watched as Marik marched off. Shaking his head, he pocketed his phone and made his way toward the food court.

The scent of cinnamon roasted nuts and price-gouged concession food taunted Bakura the moment he stepped out of the department store. A cursory scan of the food court had Bakura's already poor mood souring further.

The lines for every available food cart were several people deep, and there wasn't a single table free. Bakura wished Marik had come with him instead of sending Bakura ahead--chances were at least one of these blokes were named Steve, and it would have been far less troublesome to order them to give up a table than to wait for one to open up.

In the end, Bakura decided to do just that--only minus the mind control and plus a death glare that made the wind chill outside seem balmy by comparison. One curt, “ _move_ ” and Bakura suddenly had a table for four all to himself.

Passing over the booth in favor of one of the two chairs, Bakura plopped down with a sigh. Pulling out his phone once more, he resumed his game as he waited for Marik and his minions to join him.

And waited… And waited…

Checking the clock on his phone for the fifth time and seeing he'd been sitting there nearly an hour, Bakura felt the first prickings of unease taint his irritation.

Closing Sushi Cat, Bakura hit the speed dial for Marik's phone, pausing briefly to admire the ridiculous selfie Marik had set as the contact icon.

_Ring…. Ring…. Ring…._

“Hel- _loooo_!”

“Marik, what the bloody hell is taking so--”

Bakura was cut off as Marik started laughing.

“Gotcha! This isn’t really me! It's my voicemail! _Ha_! I totally tricked you! Anyway, leave a message.”

_Beeeeeep._

Bakura growled into the phone. “Marik, that is the stupidest fucking voicemail I've ever heard! Where the hell are you? I've been waiting in the bloody food court for over an hour! If you aren't here in--”

“Your message had been deleted,” a female voice calmly informed him. “Please try your message again.”

_Beeeeeep._

“What?” Bakura frowned at his phone, then sighed and tried again. “Marik, where are you? Are you still in line? Call me when--”

“Your message has been deleted.”

“ _Oh, sod this_!”

Bakura hung up and shoved the phone back into his pocket. Abandoning the table, Bakura headed back into Sears to track Marik down.

The lines were indeed long, Bakura noted when he walked in, stretching back into the various departments, but Marik and his posse of bumbling Steves weren’t in any of them. Growling in frustration, Bakura wondered if Marik had gotten distracted on his way to the line.

Figuring it was far too much hassle to search the entire store for Marik, Bakura did the next best thing...

 

X

 

_“Will Marik Ishtar please come to the Mall Security desk? Your party is waiting for you. Marik Ishtar to the Mall Security desk. Thank you!”_

The lady at the desk smiled at Bakura as she hung up the receiver. “Hopefully he’ll be here shortly.”

“Thanks,” Bakura grunted, scanning the milling crowd for blonde hair and a vibrant purple coat.

Bakura didn’t have to wait long this time. Not five minutes after the page, Marik came bounding up to Mall Security, a hand on his hip and a cross expression on his face.

“Seriously, Fluffy! I can't leave you alone for five minutes without you freaking out?”

“I’ve been waiting for over a bloody hour! Your phone went straight to voicemail--oh, and for the love of Zorc, _change_ your voicemail message! It’s obnoxious--then I went to look for you in Sears and you weren’t there. Where did you go?”

Marik huffed. “Well, if you _must_ know, I was buying _your_ Christmas presents.”

Bakura blinked in surprise. “My presents?”

“Yes. That’s why I sent you to get the table. I couldn't buy them while you were with me, and you weren't taking the hint.”

Bakura felt a sudden rush of guilt.

“Uuuum...perhaps after we eat, we could split up again for a bit,” Bakura suggested.

“No need,” Marik said. “I already got your stuff. The Steves are taking it all out to the car.”

“Yes, but--”

“Hold on a sec!” Marik glanced around the vicinity of the Security Desk. “Bakura, where’s our table? You were supposed to be saving us one! Seriously, you had _one_ job.”

Bakura frowned. “I _did_ save us a table, but then I had to go and search for you--”

“So you let someone else take it?”

Bakura threw up his hands. “What was I supposed to do? I couldn’t bloody well go looking for you and hold the table at the same time, could I?”

“Well, I suppose we’ll have to go find another,” Marik said, heading back toward the cluster of tables. Tamping down his irritation, Bakura followed.

 

X

 

In the end, Marik ended up finding them a table while Bakura stood in line for food. Or, rather, he stood in _three_ lines since Marik could seem to decide what he wanted more, pizza, chinese food, or philly cheese steak.

Forty minutes later, the two of them sat amongst the grease-soaked dregs of a veritable smorgasbord of food court take out.

“I cannot _believe_ we finished all of that,” Bakura said.

“Well, we _did_ split it,” Marik pointed out. Holding out one of the chinese food containers, he asked, “Did you want anymore of this?”

Bakura shook his head. “Go ahead.”

Marik dished out the last of the rice and general tso’s chicken onto his plate and dug in like he hadn’t already polished off half of a philly and two slices of pizza.

“How the hell do you stay in such good shape when you eat like that?”

“Being this sexy takes a lot of energy, and therefore burns off a lot of calories.”

“I’m no expert in nutrition, but I’m fairly certain that’s not how it works.”

“Well, I’m an expert in sex appeal, so don’t argue with me.”

Bakura sighed and muttered, “Not like I’d win, anyway.”

“So where do you want to go after this?”

“Ummmm…”

Bakura had been trying to come up with some idea of what to get Marik while they ate, but he was still drawing a blank. Perhaps it would be best to let Marik drag him around to shops he liked? Then he might let slip something he wanted…

“Doesn’t matter to me. Just go wherever you want.”

Marik huffed and glared at Bakura.

“If you don’t care enough to even suggest a store, then maybe we should just go home.”

Bakura blinked at Marik’s sudden sullenness. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

“Then how _did_ you mean it?”

Bakura felt his cheeks heat. He stared down at their scattered trash and started rearranging it onto one of the trays.

"It’s just...I haven’t gotten your gift yet,” Bakura admitted, “and I'm not sure what to get you, so..."

“Oh,” Marik said, shuffling a piece of general tso’s around his plate with his fork. "Well, it’s not like I'm expecting some elaborate, expensive, amazing gift, Bakura. Honestly, all I really wanted was to spend the day with you--that's why I asked you to come shopping with me. I figured we'd have fun picking out presents for everyone."

Bakura’s chest felt tight as guilt slithered into his cold heart for the second time that day.

“Come on,” Bakura said, clearing away their containers and assorted trash and tossing them in the rubbish bin beside them. “We’ve still got a few hours before the mall closes.”

They decided to do another walk of the mall, taking their time this go around to window shop rather than hustle from store to store. Marik had apparently checked off the rest of his Christmas list while shopping for Bakura’s gift, so they had the rest of the day to relax.

“Ooooh!”

Marik halted Bakura and pointed to where children were queued up, waiting to get their pictures taken with Santa, who was currently “on a cookie break” if the sign propped on the festive throne were to be believed.

“Bakura! Let's go sit on Santa's lap and tell him what we want for Christmas!”

Bakura chuckled. “How about I dress up as Santa and you can sit on _my_ lap?”

“It doesn't work that way, Bakura. You aren't the real Santa.”

“Neither is he,” Bakura grumbled.

“Psh! Like I don't know that! I'm not an idiot, Bakura. He's the third Santa we've seen today.”

Bakura raised an eyebrow, surprised by Marik’s uncharacteristic observation.

“I mean,” Marik continued, “clearly these imposter Santa's work for the real one! It's not like he can be everywhere at once! I can't believe you didn't know that, Bakura.”

Bakura sighed. “Forgive me. This whole Christmas thing is new to me.”

They spent the next hour going from store to store, and although Marik commented on a few things he liked, none of them struck Bakura as particularly memorable gifts. He had begun to despair when he saw it. Stopping in his tracks, he stared at the golden necklace gleaming inside the closed glass jewelry case.

‘What are you looking at, Fluffy?”

Bakura jolted at Marik’s question and redirected his gaze anywhere but at the jewelry kiosk. “Uh, nothing. I was just thinking…” Bakura thought frantically for a way to get Marik to leave for a few minutes. Spotting a cluster of arcade machines, Bakura grinned and pointed. “I was just thinking how great that stuffed gorilla in that claw game would look in the lair.”

Marik looked to where Bakura was pointing, and his eyes lit up. “Yeah, it would go pretty great with that giant tiger you won for me at the carnival. Let’s go win it!”

Marik began to pull Bakura off toward the machine, frowning when Bakura didn’t budge.

“Actually, how about you go and try and win it for us? I won the tiger, after all.”

“But, you’re so good at those games!” Marik pulled his patented pout that he _knew_ Bakura couldn’t say no to, and Bakura almost gave in before remembering his mission.

“I’ll join you in a bit--there’s something I want to check out first.”

Marik huffed, but released Bakura’s arm. “Fine. But don’t take too long.” Then he trounced off toward the claw machine and Bakura breathed a sigh of relief.

“That definitely could’ve gone worse.”

Pulling his best impression of Ryou, Bakura turned toward the jewelry kiosk and began to openly browse the selection. He could feel the girl manning the counter watching him, giving him a second to look before coming over. She was young, and seemed eager. Perfect.

“Anything I can help you find?”

“Oh!” Bakura gave the girl a nervous smile. “U-um, yes. I’m looking for a necklace for my sister, but I’m not really sure what to get.”

The girl smiled back. “Well, I can show you some options…”

Bakura made small talk and flirted with the girl as she showed him piece after piece--one of which he ensured was the piece he actually wanted--and he pretended to be torn between several of them. Other customers had started to gather while the girl helped Bakura, and she looked torn as Bakura remained indecisive.

“You seem busy. Perhaps I’ll come back later,” Bakura said, starting to turn away.

“No, no! You’re fine. Do you mind? I’ll just be right back.”

Bakura summoned the most innocent smile he could muster. “Not at all.”

The girl sent him a grateful smile and turned to help someone on the other side of the booth. Bakura glanced around to make sure no one was watching. Then, acting as if he were just moving the pieces around to get a better look at them, Bakura casually slipped the necklace he’d wanted up his sleeve.

“So, have you decided?”

Bakura shook his head sadly, fiddling with the jewelry thoughtfully. “I’m just not sure. Our mother could probably tell me what she likes. Maybe I should come back tomorrow. Will you be open tomorrow?”

The girl nodded, obviously disappointed as she began gathering up the boxes. “Yes. We’re open nine to ten tomorrow.”

“What about you? Will you be here?”

The girl blushed and made a show of arranging the display case. “Yes. I come in around two.”

“Well, maybe I’ll see you tomorrow. Thanks for your help.”

The girl tucked her hair behind her ear. “No problem! See you tomorrow.”

Bakura sent her one last flirty smile before turning and walking away.

“Jeez! About time,” Marik grumbled. “What took you so long? I’ve tried like, a gajillion times, and I can’t get this stupid gorilla! See!” Marik shouted as he dropped the purple ape once more.

“Here. Let me have a shot.”

A half-dozen attempt later Marik let out a victorious cheer. “See! You should have just done it in the first place! It would have saved us a ton of quarters.”

“I’ll keep that in mind for next time.” Pulling out the violently purple gorilla, he handed it to Marik. “Here. Add it to your collection.”

Marik grinned like a kid and hugged the stuffed toy. “Thanks, Kura.”

Bakura looked away. “The mall closes soon. Is there anywhere else you wanted to check out?”

“Not really--ooh! Actually, I have an idea. Come on!”

 

X

 

“A photo booth?”

Marik giggled . “Yeah! I saw it earlier, but we were too busy trying to finish our shopping list, so I thought we could come back to it if we had time. And look! They provided Christmas-y props!”

Setting down the gorilla, Marik began digging in the small bin of dollar store props. He pulled out a Santa hat with fake beard and plopped it on Bakura’s head, which Bakura removed immediately.

“Marik, we have no idea who’s worn this stuff. It could have lice.”

“Will you relax?” Donning a striped hat with fake elf ears attached, Marik sent Bakura an encouraging grin. “Besides, you actually do make a pretty convincing Santa Claus.” Taking the hat back from Bakura and replacing it firmly on his head, he added, “And if you wear the hat, I’ll sit on your lap for the picture.”

The fake beard was making Bakura’s face hot, but not wanting to argue, he left it where it was. “Fine,” he growled as he climbed into the stall. “Let’s just hurry this up before they kick us out. Everything’s closing.”

Once they were both inside, Bakura inserted the money.

 _“Please make a selection,”_ a robotic female voice instructed.

“Okay, what kind of border or filter do we want?” Bakura prompted.

“Hmmm.” Marik considered the options carefully. “Neither. The focus should be on us. I think borders stuff would just be distracting.”

“Alright. Are you ready?”

“Hold on.” Marik stood and sat back down on Bakura’s lap. The cramped little booth felt all-too cozy. “Okay, ready,” he said, and pressed the glowing ‘Start’ button.

While Marik hammed it up for the camera, Bakura mostly sat there, unsure what to do. Any faces he might have made would have been hidden by the ridiculous fake beard, and he was too unbalanced by Marik’s proximity to come up with anything clever.

Marik giggled and pulled off the elf hat. Taking that as permission to remove his own prop, Bakura dropped the Santa hat into his lap, scratching where the fake beard had irritated his face.

“That was fun! Let’s do one more.”

“Alright, but I’m not wearing anymore stupid hats.”

“Hold on, I want to grab some more stuff.”

Grabbing the hats, Marik slipped out of the booth while Bakura reset the machine. He was back a second later, holding something behind his back.

“Okay, I got the perfect prop! You ready?”

Bakura raised an eyebrow. “What is it this time? Reindeer antlers?”

Marik smirked. “Better. Ta-da!”

Bakura stared in confusion at the bundle of berries and leaves Marik held out to him. “Uh, a plant?”

“It’s mistletoe, silly!”

“Oh. I’ve never actually seen any before.”

“I recognized it from a movie I saw. Apparently people kiss under it. I thought it would make a cute picture.”

“I-I...Marik other people can see the pictures we’re taking on the display outside.”

“So? There’s hardly anyone left in the mall anyway. Come on, Fluffy,” Marik urged, leaning in so their lips nearly touched. “Don’t you want to kiss me under the mistletoe?”

Bakura’s breath stuttered. “Y-yes.”

Marik grinned and hit the ‘Start’ button with his free hand, the other holding the mistletoe over their heads, but Bakura couldn’t have cared less about the pictures. The moment their lips met, the only thing that existed was Marik.

They continued to kiss long after the camera stopped. It wasn’t until they heard the last call over the intercom that they pulled apart.

“Um, we should get going,” Bakura said. Marik nodded and exited the booth.

Marik grabbed up their pictures while Bakura carried the gorilla, and they made their way outside toward the car.

“Hey, Bakura.”

“Hm?”

“Thanks for coming today. I had fun.”

Bakura hesitated for a moment before reaching for Marik’s hand. He smiled when Marik laced their fingers together.

“Me too, Marik. Me too.”

 

X

 

“Bakooooora! Wake up, sleepyhead!”

Bakura groaned as Marik’s weight pounced in the bed. Turning to hide his face deeper in the pillow, Bakura said, “Go away. Let me sleep.”

“But, Bakura! It’s Christmas!” Marik shook Bakura’s shoulder. “Come on! I let you sleep in already. Get up, get up, get _up_!”

“ _Fine_! I’m bloody up!”

Bakura sat up and Marik sprang from the bed.

“Hurry! I’m dying to open presents!”

“Ugh, I’m surprised you haven’t opened them already,” Bakura grunted, dragging himself out into the living room.

“I didn’t want to start without you. I already sorted them. Your presents are over here.”

Bakura sat down on the couch in front of a small pile of wrapped packages addressed to him.

Marik pointed to a small box on top of the pile. “Look! Santa even left you a gift this year!”

Bakura couldn’t help but noticed that “Santa’s” handwriting looked suspiciously like Ishizu’s. Curiosity getting them better of him, Bakura decided to open that one first--and burst out laughing.

Marik peeked over from where he’d started tearing away at his own pile of presents. “What is it? What did Santa bring you?”

Bakura grinned and held up a bag of edible “coal”. “Guess I’ve been a naughty boy this year.”

Marik rolled his eyes and went back to his presents. “Just let me know when you’re opening the ones I got you.”

Moving on, Bakura opened the gifts from the council members next. Opening Pegasus’ gift, he glared down at the copy of “He’s Just Not That Into You” dvd and blu-ray combo pack. The note attached said “Take a hint”. Remembering the kiss he and Marik had shared in the photo booth last week, and Bakura chuckled to himself. _You don’t know the half of it, Pegasus…_

The other gifts were pretty generic: a package of Weener Cleaner Soap™, a “Happy Man” bottle stopper, and “Maybe You Touched Your Genitals” Hand Soap from Rex and Weevil, an IOU one soul coupon from Zorc, a pair of Moon Boots from Luna and Umbris, and an insult-of-the-day calendar from Rebecca and Teddy, which Bakura actually liked.

Setting aside the assorted ridiculous gifts, he pulled the last two to him.

“Okay, I’m opening yours.”

Marik beamed, abandoning his half unwrapped gifts to sit beside Bakura. “Okay! Open this one first.”

Taking the specified present in hand, Bakura tore the paper and opened the box, only mildly surprised to see the gods-awful Christmas sweater from Sears. Laughing, he turned to Marik and smiled. “Oh, Marik. You shouldn’t have. Really, _really_ shouldn’t have.”

“Well, you didn’t have an ugly Christmas sweater for Zorc’s party, but now you’ll have one for next year!”

“I’m sure with this I’ll even win the contest,” Bakura said, setting it aside. “Thank you.”

“Okay, open the other one!” Marik placed a second gift in Bakura’s lap, bouncing in his seat as Bakura opened it, and froze.

“Wow, this is…” Not sure what to say, Bakura carefully lifted the dagger out of the box and turned it over in his hands.

“It’s a Damascus dagger. Apparently there’s a special process the do while forging that causes the patterns to form in the steel. Each one is unique and special--just like a snowflake!”

“It’s--” Bakura cleared his throat. “It’s perfect. Thank you.” Setting the dagger back in its box, Bakura stood up. “I have to go grab yours. I’ll be right back.”

Bakura disappeared into the bedroom, reappearing a moment later with his small, wrapped box.

“I hope it’s to your taste. It’s not your usual--”

“Don’t give it away before I have a chance to open it, Bakura,” Marik said, taking the present.

“Right. Sorry.”

Marik wasted no time tearing off the thin paper. Cracking open the felt-lined jewelry box, Marik’s eyebrows raised in surprise.

“A...heart locket?”

Bakura’s face felt sunburned, his pulse drumming in his ears. “Um. Yeah. I stole it while we were at the mall.” Unable to hold Marik’s innocently simmering gaze, Bakura looked away, adding, “Just like you stole mine.”

Marik huffed. “You can’t just accuse me of things like that, Bakura! I didn’t steal your locket!”

Bakura’s head whipped back to Marik. “What? No! My _heart_ you fool! I meant that you--”

Bakura cut off at the broad grin that spread over Marik’s face. Marik leaned close, giggling.

“I knew what you meant, Fluffy.” Marik’s eyes glinted with mischief. “Hey, wanna know a secret?”

“Ummm, sure.”

“I stole something at the mall that day too.” Reaching behind him, Marik pulled out the fake mistletoe from the photo booth, and Bakura chuckled.

“Why in the world would you take that?”

Marik shrugged. “Because I wanted to.” His smile slanted again. “Think it still works?”

Bakura brushed his lips against Marik’s. “Let’s test it and find out.”

Marik pinned Bakura to the sofa, the sprig of fake mistletoe forgotten as Bakura’s arms wrapped around him. They kissed like that until they were both gasping for breath.

Pulling back, Marik ran a hand through his hair where Bakura had mussed it. “Well, I think it still works.”

Bakura chuckled. He watched Marik sit up and examine the locket more closely, a slight frown creasing his brow.

Bakura sat up a bit. “What’s the matter? Don’t you like it?”

“It’s missing something,” Marik muttered. Then his eyes brightened. “Hold on! I got it!”

This time Marik disappeared into the bedroom, returning with a strip of paper and a pair of scissors. Cutting a small portion of the paper, he took it and pressed it into the locket. Beaming at his own handywork, Marik turned the locket to show Bakura.

“There. Now it’s perfect. Don’t you think, Kura?”

A lump formed in Bakura’s throat at the tiny, heart-shaped picture of them kissing in the photo booth.

“Yes,” Bakura whispered. “It’s perfect.”

On impulse, Bakura pulled Marik in for another kiss.

Afterward, Marik pulled back with a sigh. “Merry Christmas, Bakura.”

“Merry Christmas, Marik.”

Leaning down, Bakura picked the fake mistletoe up off the floor. “You know, I think we should hang this in our room--right above the bed.”

Marik snorted, getting up to grab one of his unopened gifts. “You’re going to wear out the charm.”

“We won’t know unless we test it,” Bakura purred. Joining Marik on the floor, he held the prop over their heads and hugged Marik from behind.

Marik giggled and half-heartedly pushed Bakura away. “No, I still have more presents to unwrap.”

“How about you unwrap me instead?”

“That doesn’t even make sense, Fluffy. You’re not wearing wrapping paper.”

Bakura kissed along Marik’s neck. “I could be.”

“That would just look silly.”

Bakura adjusted Marik’s crop top, baring his shoulder as he trailed kisses further down. “And you could tie me to the bed with the ribbons.”

Marik shivered. “That’s...tempting.”

Bakura dangled the mistle in front of Marik’s face. “And we can hang this above the headboard.”

Marik laughed and swatted at Bakura’s hand. “ _Will you drop the_ _mistletoe already_?”

“Fine, fine.” Bakura set the prop aside and tightened his hold on Marik. “I’ll let go of the mistletoe--as long as I don’t have to let go of you.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks also to Sitabethel for the idea of Marik giving Bakura a Damascus dagger!
> 
>  
> 
> This story is part of the LLF Comment Project, which was created to improve communication between readers and authors. This author invites and appreciates feedback, including:
> 
> Feedback
> 
>   * Short comments
>   * Long comments
>   * Questions
>   * Constructive criticism
>   * “<3” as extra kudos
>   * Reader-reader interaction
>   * Random keyboard mashing because words could never adequately convey your feels
> 

> 
> This author sees and appreciates all comments and tries to reply to all of them.
> 
> If you don’t want a reply, for any reason (sometimes I feel shy when I’m reading and not up to starting a conversation, for example), feel free to sign your comment with “whisper” and I will appreciate it but not respond!


End file.
